Red Tape Travel's Great Britain to US dog route covers flights from England, Scotland and Wales. This guide covers personal dogs and the CDC's low-risk pathway. Northern Ireland, Hawaii, and US state and local requirements are outside its scope.
Check the dog's travel history before booking
For a dog flying from Great Britain to the US mainland, the CDC pathway depends on where the dog has been within 6 months before US arrival.[1][2] Great Britain is outside CDC's high-risk list.[1][2] Time in other dog rabies-free or low-risk countries can count toward that travel history; the dog does not need to have lived in Great Britain for the whole period.[1]
CDC treats a dog as entering a country when it clears customs there.[4] If the dog clears customs at a connection in a high-risk country, the high-risk rules apply, even if the flight started in Great Britain.[4] Ask the airline whether the dog will clear customs during a connection if the routing leaves that unclear.[4]
Use the CDC receipt at boarding and arrival
For a low-risk dog flying from Great Britain to the US mainland, CDC's traveler guidance lists the Dog Import Form as the only CDC document.[1][5] Red Tape Travel's US federal dog entry page puts the CDC requirements alongside other federal rules.
Check age and identification.
The age requirement is measured at US arrival.[1][3] The dog's microchip must be detectable by a universal scanner.[1][3]Fails if: the dog is below the minimum age at US arrival or has no detectable microchip.[3]
Submit the form and get the receipt.
The person bringing the dog submits the form online for that dog and confirms the email address to receive the receipt.[5] The CDC allows submission on the day of travel.[1]Fails if: the traveler has no receipt to show the airline before boarding.[5]
Carry the receipt on the flight.
Show it to the airline before boarding and keep it available for US Customs and Border Protection on arrival.[5] A printout or a copy on a phone is accepted.[5]Fails if: the dog does not appear healthy on arrival, or the traveler cannot show the receipt.[1][3][5]
The federal regulation's entry paragraph uses an inclusive minimum age, while its separate airline boarding paragraph uses the word “over” for the same age threshold.[3] The boarding paragraph describes proof of age, microchip and travel history; CDC's low-risk traveler guidance names the receipt as the only CDC document.[1][3] If the dog will be at the cutoff, ask the airline how it applies the boarding language.
For repeat US entries with the same dog on the low-risk pathway, the receipt is valid for 6 months from issuance if the departure country stays the same and the dog remains eligible.[1][5] Submit a new form if the receipt expires or the dog will depart from a different low-risk country.[1][5]
Keep British export paperwork separate
Great Britain's Animal and Plant Health Agency says its dog export health certificate applies only to certain US destinations from August 1, 2024.[6] Check the destination state's requirements before applying.[6] When the certificate applies, travelers exporting from England, Scotland or Wales must apply online.[6] This British certificate is separate from the CDC Dog Import Form receipt.[1][6]
Confirm before booking. Rules and airline policies change. Check the official pages linked under Sources, and your airline, before you pay for anything.
Sources
- cdc.gov: Low-risk travel history, receipt validity, age, microchip and health requirements.
- cdc.gov: Countries and political units CDC lists as high-risk for dog rabies.
- ecfr.gov: Federal entry requirements and separate airline boarding language.
- cdc.gov: How clearing customs during a layover affects the import pathway.
- cdc.gov: Filing the form, getting the receipt and showing it before boarding and on arrival.
- gov.uk: British dog export health certificate and when to apply.